Button-fastener



(No Modl.)

J. H. MOGLURB.

BUTTON PASTENER. No. 281,899. Patented July 24, 1883.

n. nana mumgnm www" n n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. MCCLURE, OF MARTINS FERRY, OHIO.

BUTTON-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 281,899, dated July 24, 1883.

Application led January 22.1883.

fo all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J .iMEs H. MCCLURE, of Martins Ferry, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Button Fastener; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in Which- My invention relates to the devices for fastening shoe-buttons in shoes. Asthe ordinary means of sewing these buttons on shoes is objectionable on account' of the thread wearing out rapidly because of the strain thereon in the constant moving of the foot in walking, some permanent means for fastening these buttons whereby the Wear or strain may come against a metal Wire or loop which will not wear out so rapidly has been sought for. Among the other devices for this purpose, a wire having a bent portion in the center has been employed, the eye of the button being inserted through a hole in thev leather of the shoe and this wire passed through the eye, thebent portion catoliing the eye and holding` it. These were, however, difficult to attach on account of the thickness of the leather and lining of the shoe, and the wire was liable to be bent andA drawn through the hole by the strain on the button. By my invention these objections are overcome.

It consists, essentially, of a button-fastener formed of wire and having a base bent so as to give a strong hold against the inner side of the shoe-leather, and having in the center of this base a hook adapted to extend through the hole in the shoe-leather, and a spring-snap extending through said shoe and adapted to be pressed back on the outer surface of the shoeleather, so as to permit the eyeof the button to enter the catch and be held by the hook thereof, the button being thus secured within the fastener above the shoe, and so being more readily secured in place and removed when desired, and being capable of removal without removing the fastener from the shoe.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring for that purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which# Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fastener. Figs. 2 and 8 are views of the same extending through the leather ofthe (No model.)

shoe, and having the button secured therein; and Fig. 4 is a view of another form of the same.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My improved shoe-fastener is formed of a single piece of wire of suitable size and strength, being bent to the desired shape by means of suitable tools or machinery. The ends of the wire are cut off at an angle and one endthereof is bent in the form of a hook, a., the end cut off at an angle forming a lip to catch the springsnap, as hereinafter described, and the wire, then extending down, leaving a hook of sufficient length to extend through the hole in the shoe-leather and support the shoe-button on the upper side thereof. At the base of this hook the wire is bent in any desired shape, so as to form a strong base, b, to iit against the under surface of the leather and to sustain the drawing strain of the button thereon. After bending this base b, the other end of the wire is bent up in the center of the base, so as to fit under the lip of the hook a to form the springsnap c, the hook and the spring-snap both being adapted to extend through the hole in the shoe-leather, so that the eye of the button d can be pressed against this spring-snap c, and, pressing it back, enter within the fastener and be held by the hook a. v

The base b of the fastener may be made of any suitable shape to give the required strength thereto, it being shown in two forms in the drawings. rl"he form preferred by me is that shown in Fig. l, in which the base has the form of an ellipse, being bent back of the hook and around to the front of it, and then up, to form the spring-snap. By this construction the fastener is constructed so that the springsnap can be pressed back close to the hook and allow the button to enter the fastener easily. In the other form (shown in Fig. 3) the base b is bent substantially in the form of the letter S, the Wire of the base extending from one end to the other, and between the hook and the snap, and the snap being bent at a slight angle, so as to pass over this central wire.

My improved button-fastener is employed in the following way: The holes for the reception of the fastener being formed through the leather of the shoe, a fastener is inserted into one of the holes, the hook a and snap cextending through the hole, and the base b fitting IOO against the under surface of the leather. The eye of the button d is then pressed against the snap o and presses it back, so that the eye enters the hook and is held thereby. It is only necessary that the snap c extend up to or slightly above the upper surface of the shoeleather, as the eye ofthe button may be pressed down into the leather when entering the hook. Uien in use the, strain on the button holds the base b against the shoe-leather and prevents its pressing against the wearers foot, and the base gives a strong hold for the button, while the metal wire forms a durable fastener for the button. To remove the button it is only necessary to press back the spring-snap c, either on the upper or lower surface of the shoe-leather7 and draw the button out of the hook, thebutton ofthe shoe -being thus changed whenever worn out or for other reason.

My invention thus forms a cheap and easilyoperated fastener for shoe-buttons, one which can be secured in' place without the use of tools for the purpose, and which can be easily operated by the wearer of the shoe.

Before my invention a buttonfastener has been constructed of a base and an open hook QSLSQQ and arm extending up through the leather, the arm extending beyond the end of the hook, and the eye of the button being pressed downwardly between the hook and arm to enter the 3o described7 having the base b, adapted to 4o against the under surface of the shoe-leather, and the hook a and spring-snap c, adapted to extend through the-leather and fit under the hook, and thus hold the button, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I, the said J Mins H. MCCLURE, have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES H. MCCLURE.

lVitnesses JOHN EWING Srnnu, Jim/[Es I. KAY. 

